JUPITER CLASS 2020.2021

We are all looking forward to all children returning to school for the Autumn Term.  We will be starting the term with a whole school project, all children will complete work based on 'Here We Are' by Oliver Jeffers.

In Jupiter class Miss Smith will be the class teacher with Mrs Tickle remaining as the class TA and Mrs Wiseman will be joining Jupiter in the afternoons as an additional TA.

For this term, Jupiter has been set up differently (following government guidelines).  Expectations and procedures will be shared with the children on the first day of school. 

We understand that some learners have not been in school for quite some time, so we are approaching the first few weeks slightly differently to a 'normal' return to school.

We hope that you have all had a restful break over the summer and are looking forward to returning to learning within your classrooms.

Week Ending 11th September

We have had such a lovely start to the term in Jupiter class! We have spent lots of time talking about being back at school, and how we are feeling. We have also been fabulous artists this week and we have created self portraits which will be displayed in our cloakroom.

Its been so lovely to finally meet you all, and thank you for being so welcoming

Jupiter Class 2019/2020!

Miss Connor is the lead teacher in Jupiter Class this year. 
Mrs Tickle is our teaching assistant, she works every morning and completes her forest school learning with each class every afternoon. Mrs Passan is the lead teacher on a Monday morning or afternoon. 

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 09.03.20
Another busy week this week as we celebrated British Science Week and Sport Relief. As we spent every afternoon completing science activities and our mile for Sport Relief, our mornings were filled with our normal Maths and English lessons.
 

In English, we continued to explore our class text ‘Oliver and the Seawigs’ this week. The children were very excited when we discovered a couple new characters including the albatross, Mr Culpeper and mermaid, Iris. They wrote character descriptions using computer software and stepped into role as Oliver and wrote a diary entry about his experiences so far.
 

In Maths, we learnt about statistics this week and how we input this data onto tally charts, bar graphs and pictograms. We spent a lot of time recapping the language of ‘what’s the difference’ and what this means as this was something that caught lots of us out during assessment week last week. It would be great if you could continue to ask your children to ‘find the difference’ between numbers at home to reinforce learning completed in class.
 

In Science this week we have had lots of fun completing activities related to the British Science Week theme ‘Our Diverse Planet’. In class we explored what it meant to be diverse people and discussed the differences between us. We completed experiments using blindfolds to reinforce what it might feel like to have visual impairment. We also carried out an investigation to measure the number of taste bumps we have and how this may be different to our friends. PLEASE NOTE - we were all super hygienic and washed our hands thoroughly before and after the experiment! We even removed the cotton buds and card by placing into sealy bags!

As it was SAW (Science, Art and Writing) day on Friday the children drew their own reflected self-portraits and wrote auto-biographies about their lives. Thank you to all the parents who came and looked around the exhibition after school! I know the children loved showing off their learning.
 

I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend,
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 02.03.20
Although it was assessment week this week, that didn't stop Jupiter class going out of school on two separate occasions for a trip to St Neots Museum and to Kimbolton for our weekly swimming lesson. We can't forget that we also got to celebrate World Book Day! 

I hope everyone is ready for another busy week as we celebrate British Science Week and Sports Relief!

Jupiter Class Update
Week Ending 28/02/20
Jupiter class had a great week back after half term. In English we started a new fiction text called ‘Oliver and the seawigs’ and the children were very excited! They made predictions about what they thought the text might be about before the front cover was revealed, considered how it might feel to be an explorer like Oliver and created their own lists of items they would take with them with appropriate reasons to support.

In Maths, the children practised their operations for multiplication, division, addition and subtraction in preparation for assessment week next week.  

In Science this week both Year 2 and Year 3 carried out experiments to answer scientific questions. While Year 2 identified the ways in which everyday materials can be changed, Year 3 carried out different investigations to identify which magnet is the strongest or whether magnets are stronger in water or through the air.

In Topic this week, the children used their computing skills to research the Hindu temple ‘Angkor Wat’ located in Cambodia. They were fascinated by some of the facts they found out and some children managed to begin creating their own power point presentation about it.

Of course I cannot forget that on Friday we had our first session swimming. Jupiter class were a joy to take and I’m very much looking forward to the next 7 weeks!

I hope you’ve all had a good weekend, see you tomorrow!

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 10.02.20
We had a super busy last week in Jupiter Class before the half term holiday. In English we finished the text ‘Suki’s Kimono’. We explored persuasive writing first and once we had learnt the skills of persuasion, we wrote our own letters to Suki’s headteacher. The children had to think about the reasons why Suki should be allowed to wear her kimono and include these points of view in their letter. It was great to hear and read the children recognising diversity and encouraging different cultures.
 

In Maths we spent the week recapping and learning about 2D and 3D shapes. The children explored the properties and discussed the vertices, edges and faces of different shapes. Once they were more confident with the names and properties, the children used their problem solving and reasoning skills to answer trickier questions.
 

In Science, Year 2 made their boats and carried out their investigation to see whether theirs would float or sink. Once they had the results, they discussed and evaluated the different outcomes with reasons including the materials properties. Year 3, also carried out an investigation this week. They identified and classified which materials are magnetic and why. They carried out research to back up their findings and by the end of the lesson they had some further questions they wished to answer. This learning will be continued after half term.
 

In Topic we worked in pairs to research a country in Asia. The children used fact files from the internet and their own research to answer questions on their countries population, religion, currency and language(s) spoken.

Unfortunately, we had our last dance session with Mrs Litchfield this week. The children have thoroughly enjoyed these sessions on a Tuesday and this week we managed to finish our class dance on machines. The children worked independently, in pairs and in small groups to create a representation of a machine and they have learnt so much in such a short space of time. We were sad to say goodbye to Mrs Litchfield from HSSP but I’m sure she’ll be back again sometime soon!
 

On Tuesday 11^th February, it was Safer Internet Day and this year’s theme was ‘together for a better internet’. The children completed work on their identity, both online and offline and created their own poems in pairs about how to stay safe online. The children all knew how important it is to stay safe online and it was a great opportunity to share ways of making sure this happens all the time.
 

I hope you all have a great and restful week off.
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 03.02.20

This week in English we have learnt about instructional writing. The children first identified the features of instructions and where they might find them, before writing their own set of instructions for tying an obi (a belt for a kimono). They made sure to include imperative (bossy) verbs and careful step by step instructions clear enough for anyone to follow.

In Maths Year 3 continued to work with fractions this week. They answered addition and subtraction style questions and completed several problem and reasoning style questions. Whilst the majority of the Year 3 worked with fractions with the same denominator, some had a go at finding equivalent fractions first before adding and subtracting, which is very tricky! Year 2 spent the week recapping learning from this half term. They worked with money, practised methods for multiplication/division and reminded themselves of the strategies for addition/subtraction.
 

In Science Year 2 put their understanding of ‘suitability’ to the test by designing a boat ‘suitable’ for carrying a Lego figure across water. We discussed what the word ‘absorbent’ means and the children designed their boats based on what they thought would be the most waterproof and practical material. These boats will be created next week and the children will carry out their investigation to see if their ideas were right! This week Year 3 discussed the materials that they thought might be magnetic and why. They identified a list of the materials they would like to test ready for next week.
 

In Topic the children worked hard to understand the difference between urban and rural living. We compared our small village of Great Staughton to the enormous city of Shanghai. The children were amazed to see how other children and families live and they had great fun identifying the similarities and differences between the two. At the end of the lesson we shared where we would rather live and it was interesting to hear their responses. Some children liked the quieter rural environment whereas others wanted to go the busier urban cities to visit more shops etc.

I hope you're all having a great weekend,

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 27.01.20
This week we have continued to work with fractions in Maths. The children have found fractions of quantities, focussing mainly on non-unit fractions where the numerator is larger than 1, ordered fractions and they have worked hard to find equivalent fractions. Next week Year 2 will complete tasks that recap addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, whilst Year 3 continue to work with adding and subtracting fractions.
 

In English this week the children identified why Suki’s kimono is so special to her. They came up with some great reasons including “it was a special gift from her grandmother, it represents her culture and it makes her unique”.  Later on in the week, the children were encouraged to bring in something that they cherish. We discussed as a class why our items are special to us and independently the children wrote their own description of their most important object. They all worked hard to include adventurous vocabulary to create the best description.

In Science, Year 3 investigated what friction is and how it changes based on different surfaces. To study this further the children measured how far a toy car travelled when pushed off of a ramp onto different surfaces. By the end of the lesson (and investigation), they learnt that the more friction between an object and surface, the less distance it will travel. Year 2 used their knowledge of everyday materials this week to discuss the best material for a transporting a Lego figure across water. Next week, they will design their own method of transport, before creating their design and carrying out their investigation.
 

In Topic the children learnt about Chinese New Year. They used their research from last week’s homework and information from our visitor on Wednesday to answer questions on this special, annual event.

Hope you’re all having a good weekend,

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 13.01.20
This week in English we have enjoyed sharing and exploring the beginning of ‘Suki’s Kimono’. The children have worked hard to write their own predictions and inferences, compare and contrast main characters and work in pairs to create a description of a setting within the story. They worked collaboratively to edit their writing to find ways to improve and many children managed to include some fantastic, adventurous vocabulary and similes.
 

In Maths we have continued to practise measuring length. The children have compared and ordered lengths, found equivalent lengths between mm, cm and m, solved problems involving length and we finished the week by measuring the sides of simple 2D shapes. With this final task, Year 3 learnt about perimeter and all of them had calculating the perimeter once each side had been measured correctly. Some of the Year 2’s were even up for the challenge!
 

To begin their Science learning of ‘Everyday Materials’, Year 2 investigated where to find them around school. They recognised many objects that were made from the different materials and used their properties to describe their purpose. Many children identified how the windows were made from glass in order to be transparent and firm. To move our learning on the children explained verbally what other objects the everyday materials could be used for. Year 3, on the other hand, were learning about the forces of push and pull. They worked in pairs to decide what physical activities involved which force, before debating whether all forces need physical contact.
 

The children absolutely loved their first PE dance session with Hunts coach Mrs Litchfield. This linked fantastically to Year 3’s current Science topic as the children had to create a dance sequence using the three forces: push, pull and twist. The children worked in pairs to decide how to perform each move before working with Mrs Litchfield to practise and perform a whole class machine dance. These sessions with Mrs Litchfield will take part every Tuesday until February half term.
 

In Topic this week the children brought their cherry blossom sketches to life using paint. Although, many of us haven’t finished just yet, I was very impressed with the care and control the children had. We discussed using different shades and tones of pink to make the blossom look as realistic as possible.
 

Have a great weekend!
 

Miss Connor

W.C. 16.12.19
Jupiter Class Update:
Jupiter class had a fantastic final three days of term. We finished our DT embroidery, completed lots of Christmas activities, had a yummy Christmas lunch and had a brilliant reward day. A massive well done to the children for a fantastic Autumn Term!
 

I also would like to say a big thank you to everyone for all the lovely gifts. I’m always blown away by how generous everyone is. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all in 2020.
 

Miss Connor

W.C 09.12.19
Jupiter class update:

The last full week before the Christmas holidays has been a busy one.
In English we completed our two week, Christmas inspired scheme of work on the 2014 John Lewis Christmas advent ‘Monty the penguin’. This week we focused on non-fiction writing and the children spent the beginning of the week researching facts about Adelie penguins, before going on to write their own information text. While some chose to write fact files, others decided to write a non-chronological report. By the end of the week, the children knew many facts about Adelie penguins including their diet, habitat and physical appearance. This also tied nicely into Year 2’s science learning of living things and their habitats.
 

In maths we spent this week learning how to tell the time. The children used their understanding of the 5 times table to read and record time on an analogue clock. Whilst year 2 focused on reading and recording the time in 15 minute increments (o’clock, quarter past, half past and quarter to), year 3 practised reading and recording the time in 5 minute increments. It was great to see the children understanding when to read the minutes ‘past’ the hour or ‘to’ the next hour and understanding when AM and PM is used. Parents, it would be wonderful if the children could continue practising this over the Christmas holidays and into the New Year!
 

We have also completed our Tudor embroidery stitching this week. The children worked so hard following the lines to create their finished Tudor rose or Fleur de Lys and they look fantastic! Finished photos of these to come next week! We also designed and created our own party hats for the Christmas lunch on Monday.
 

Have a lovely weekend,
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class update
W.C. 02.12.19
Wow, this week has flown by! In english we started and completed one half of our two week, Christmas inspired scheme of work on the 2014 John Lewis Christmas advent ‘Monty the penguin’. The children were asked to ask and answer questions based on the story in the fictional video and write in role as the young boy to complete a diary entry and a persuasive letter. We teased the children by only showing them half of the clip and they were excited to finally see what happened and whether their predictions were correct. Next week we will be focusing on non-fiction texts and writing reports and information texts.

In maths we have continued to focus on multiplication and division this week but with an emphasis on reasoning and problem solving. While Year 2 used their understanding of the 2, 5 and 10 times tables to solve problems, year 3 used their knowledge of the 3, 4 and 8 times tables. Next week we will be learning to tell the time in 15, 10 and 5 minute increments.

In science year 3 have explored how shadows are formed from light being blocked. On Thursday they set up their own investigation in small groups to recognise patterns between the distance of the light source and the size of the shadow. By the end of the lesson, all of the groups had concluded that the closer the light source was to the object, the larger the shadow.  This week year 2 explored how all living things depend on one in another within their habitat to stay alive. They created their own world habitat with the different living things and explained how each of them have an important role to play in their habitat.

On Friday some of us started our Tudor embroidery with Mrs Tickle. The children carefully stitched over the outline to create their own Tudor rose or Fleur de Lys. We will continue these now until the end of term, ready for the children to bring home with them before the Christmas holidays.

Have a great weekend, hopefully I’ll see lots of you at the Christmas Fayre on Saturday for lots of wonderful Christmas celebrations!

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class update
W.C. 25.11.19 – The last week before the Christmas festivities begin and December is well and truly upon us!
 

This week it has been Assessment Week and the children have all managed the week extremely well. They have completed assessments in Maths, Reading and SPAG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar) and it was wonderful to see them show off what they had learnt in class. Like always, the assessments were completed in a relaxed manner and we reiterated lots that these assessments simply tell us as teachers what to plan and teach next!
 

Fortunately, we still managed to fit some DT sessions, our normal science lesson and we even learnt about medieval music in the Tudor times. In DT we have been designing and creating our own Christmas decorations for the school tree, our own front cover for the Christmas show and we worked with Mrs Passan on Monday to design our own Tudor embroidery which the children will stitch before the end of term. In Science, Year 2 continued their learning of habitats by exploring world habitats. They identified how deserts, oceans, rainforests and the Arctic are different to local habitats and had to explain how different animals are suited to their individual habitat. Year 3 continued their learning of light and explored how to stay safe in the sun. They worked with Mrs Tickle to explore what UV light is and the dangers it has. In our Music lesson on Thursday the class listened to the medieval music before using different instruments to try and recreate the sounds and melody.
 

I hope you have a lovely weekend,
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update: Week Ending 22^nd November

This week we finished our English text ‘Lailah’s Lunchbox’ which highlighted cultural practices of Muslims.  We explored the stories structure by identifying the beginning, middle, problem, resolution and ending and wrote our own retelling of the story. Whilst most of us stuck to the original story, a few of us included our own alternative ending.
 

In Maths both Year 2 and Year 3 continued their learning of multiplication and division this week. The children wrote mathematical statements using the appropriate symbols, practised their understanding of division by sharing equally between groups and links have also been made between doubling and halving. This week both years have also completed one Maths assessment - starting our assessment period (next week is the main assessment week for the Autumn Term).
 

In Science Year 3 have identified and learnt that light is reflected from a surface. The children have understood and explained what reflection is, investigated which materials reflect light and considered how all reflective materials are similar. They demonstrated their understanding of this by designing their own school bag which is suitable when walking to and from school in the darker months. Year 2 have continued their learning of habitats by identifying and naming a variety of animals in their habitat, including microhabitats. They followed on from their learning last week by drawing their local habitat and identified the specific animals that live there.
 

In Topic lesson this week we have explored what Christmas was like in the Tudor times and compared it with our own celebrations. The children were amazed to learn that the Tudors celebrated Christmas similar to how we do today. A big difference we noted was that it was compulsory for everyone to finish work for the twelve days during Christmas and New Year. However, we know not everyone is as fortunate to do that nowadays.
 

I hope everyone is having great weekend.

Miss Connor

W.C. 11.11.19
Jupiter Class Update:
This week it has been Inter Faith Week in school and in Jupiter Class we have explored cultural practices of Muslims and compared them to our own. Through our new text ‘Lailah’s lunchbox’, the children have developed an understanding of what Ramadan is and how Muslims celebrate. Within the story, Lailah’s parents have decided she is now old enough to fast. In class, we’ve had some great discussions about what this means and the different beliefs we may have. Based on what we have read so far, the children have created their own questions for Lailah this week, written non chronological reports about Ramadan, created character descriptions of Lailah and written predictions about what they think will happen next. We are all looking forward to finding out more about Lailah next week!
 

In Maths we have started to build on our prior knowledge of multiplication. We started the week by recapping how multiplication is just repeated addition, before moving onto multiplication questions in the 2, 5 and 10 times tables of the 3, 4, 8 times tables. We discussed ways of working out the answer by first identifying the amount of groups we have. The children created arrays and all of them practised grouping on a number Iine first. We looked at the different strategies and discussed how simple it is to use our known multiplication facts to help solve timetables we don’t know yet. For example using the 2 times table to work out the 4 or the 4 times tables to work out the 8’s.
 

In Science this week year 3 have continued to learn about their new topic of light and dark. The children recapped the sources of light before witnessing first-hand how dark it is when there is no light. The children were shocked to realise that we do in fact need light in order to see and what better way to experiment this but standing in the pitch black cupboard? They all loved standing in the dark with a friend and it really proved that point that without a source of light, we cannot see.In year 2’s science lesson this week, they started to explore a local habitat by going for a walk around the school fields. Next week, they will draw their local habitat and identify the specific animals that live there.

On Wednesday, while year 2 practised for their Christmas show, year 3 completed an art lesson based on Pablo Picasso. As we have looked at abstract work previously, I thought it would be good opportunity to show the children another style of his painting. We looked closely at Picasso’s painting during his blue period and the class worked hard to create a monochrome painting using just blue and white or black to change the shade and tint. These masterpieces are not quiet finished yet but we will finish these off next week!
 

Phew! What another busy week. Have a great weekend.
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 04.11.19
Jupiter Class have had a fantastic week focusing on careers, ambitions and aspirations. We started the week by first discussing the meaning of careers, ambitions and aspirations as some of these words were new to some of us. Once we all understood what the week was going to be about, the children shared their own personal goals, along with the career they may choose in the future. These included archaeologists, dentists, charity workers, plumbers, firefighters, teachers and many more. By the end of the week, some children had even more ideas about what career they may choose and others were amazed by how many choices they have!
 

We have been doing lots of writing and discussion about our strengths, skills, and hopes for the future. The real important message shared this week was that the children could pursue any job they choose just as long as they believe in themselves, be prepared to work hard and choose something that they enjoy. Mrs Tickle and I were so impressed with how maturely the children spoke about their ambitions and aspirations and from the responses in class the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves! Hopefully there will be some interesting conversations at home too!
 

Have a great weekend,
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 28.10.19
The first week back after the half term holiday has been a busy one! In Maths the children have continued to develop their knowledge of addition and subtraction. They have spent time using and practising the methods learnt previously to help them solve word problems. The children now have a fantastic understanding of the methods that work best for them and it’s been great to see them apply their new skills.
 

In English this week we have been exploring poetry. We started the week by talking, discussing and interpreting different poems. The children worked in pairs or small groups to first understand what their particular poem was about, before highlighting the words they liked and why. Some children discussed the poem in greater depth to identify what it meant to them and they worked hard to describe how the poet has used language to create an effect. Some children showed a great understanding of new vocabulary learnt including onomatopoeia and personification and this was reflected in their own poems later on in the week. Taking our learning outside, the children planned and wrote their own senses poem. We walked around the school field to collect our ideas first, before they edited their initial ideas to include descriptive language suitable for their poem.
 

In Science, Year 3 have started to explore their new topic of ‘light’. The children discussed and shared what they already know about the subject and identified what they wish to learn over the next 7 weeks. The children had some fantastic questions and it will be great to see these answered over the coming weeks. Year 2 have also changed topics for Science this half term. Whilst still thinking about animals, including humans, they have started to explore the habitats living and non-living things live in. This week they learnt about the 7 life processes and used them to classify whether things were living, non –living, dead or never alive.
 

As Sunday marked Diwali – the Hindu festival of lights, the children have taken part in a variety of activities this week to help learn about this special, religious occasion. They designed and created their own diva lamps, sequenced and performed their own Bollywood dance and wrote about the story of Rama and Sita in our exciting writing lesson on Friday.
 

Have a great weekend,

Miss Connor

W.C. 14.10.19
Jupiter class update:

The last week before the half term holiday has been a busy one! In English, we have continued to explore traditional fairy tales. First, we recapped the essential features of these types of texts. Then, we used our plans that we created last week to carefully write our own twisted tale. We broke the sessions up this week into focusing on the beginning, middle and ending which meant the children had a clear structure to follow. I was very impressed with the imaginative ideas and the descriptive vocabulary the children used.
 

In Maths, both year 2 and year 3 have worked on their methods for addition and subtraction this week. They started the week by working out how to solve missing number problems before moving onto more formal written methods. Whilst year 3 learnt how to used the expanded column method for addition and subtraction, year 2 concentrated on using pictorial representations and their own number lines.
 

In Science this week year 2 learnt about the five basic needs for survival. They learnt that in order for the human body to function and grow, it needs oxygen, water, food, sleep and shelter. The children created their own posters advertising this and each of them wrote sentences explaining why each need was essential for the human body. Year 3’s learning this week was similar as they explored the circulatory system. We used red and blue card to represent the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood in our bodies and the children learnt how it is used to transport nutrients, oxygen and water around our bodies.
 

This week it was our last PE session with Mrs Wisbey from Hunts SSP and we applied all our skills learnt this half term by completing some team games. The children had to use their coordination, balance and aim to score points for their team and they thoroughly enjoyed competing against themselves to improve their own team score each time.
 

Have a wonderful week off and I look forward to seeing you all after the  half term holiday!
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class update:
W.C. 7/10/19

Another brilliant week in Jupiter class this week. After focusing on the adventure text ‘The Dish and the Spoon, this week in English we have explored traditional fairy tales. We started the week by exploring what the key features of a traditional fairy tale are, before sequencing a familiar tale and planning our own twisted version. While Year 2 created their own story map in preparation for writing and retelling their own next week, year 3 created a story mountain to carefully plan the beginning, problem, resolution and ending. The children loved planning their own version and it was as simple as changing the character or setting!
 

In Maths, we have continued to practise adding and subtracting. We started the week by adding 2-digit numbers to 2- or 3- digit numbers. We worked hard in class to explore a range of methods both in addition and subtraction to ensure everyone found a way that worked for them. The emphasis this week has been on using place value to partition the numbers we are adding or subtracting. The children have been able to apply what they have learnt in the previous weeks, which has been fantastic to see! Of course we used visual aids and pictorial representations to help us visualise the maths completed.
 

In Science this week year 2 and year 3 worked in pairs or small groups to create their own human body. Whilst year 2 drew, labelled and described the organs in the human body, year 3 included the human body’s muscles and joints and started to study the systems in our body like the digestive system. The children had lots of fun with this task and it was a great opportunity to see what they had learnt in previous lessons!

In our topic lesson this week we studied Mary Queen of Scots. The children listened carefully as we shared different sources of information. They were shocked to find out that she had fled Scotland and was kept prisoner by her cousin Queen Elizabeth I. In role as Mary, the children then had to write a letter persuading Elizabeth to let her out of the castle which research suggests she did try to do.
 

We also practised our computing skills this week. We used them to carry out research on Mary Queen of Scots and create files on different computer software such as Microsoft Word. By the end of the lesson, the children had so much more confidence creating their own documents and handling the computers in general.
 

Have a great weekend,

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class update
W.C 30.09.19
We started the week this week by learning about rules and law in PSHE with Mrs Passan. We identified their similarities and differences and discussed the consequences for when they are broken. This prepared us for our English lessons this week, as we explored how the dish and spoon broke the law when they robbed the city bank. The children created their own court room scene and they each had their own role to play as either the judge, criminal, lawyer, jury or witness. They loved getting into character and we all had a thorough understanding of trials by the end of the lesson. This week in English we also used our experience of the court room to help plan and compose our own newspaper articles. The children came up with some brilliant titles for their reports and I was very impressed with the factual and detailed sentences. 
 

In Maths this week the children have practised their addition and subtraction skills using their place value facts to help them. We have focused a great deal of our learning on number bonds this week as we know that simple bonds help us with other mathematical learning. While Year 2 identified their number bonds to 100, Year 3 worked with numbers to 1000.  It was a great opportunity for children to make links between numbers which will help them in developing mental strategies. On Friday we practised adding and subtracting numbers to either a 2 - digit number or a 3 - digit number. To help us understand the concept of exchanging, the children used dienes to physically add and subtract the numbers to and from one another. The concrete resources helped practise and develop our place value and helped us visualise the maths question.
 

In Science year 2 identified the stages of the human growth throughout our lives. They explored and discussed what happens during the different stages and wrote descriptions of each one to help identify the similarities and differences. Year 3 built on their recent learning of the functions of the human skeleton by learning about ‘mighty muscles’. They discovered how there are over 600 muscles in our bodies that are attached to bones by tendons. They found it interesting to learn that muscles work in pairs and when one muscle contracts, the other relaxes! We completed a variety of exercises to demonstrate the muscles we use every second of the day!

In Topic this week the children’s learning was based on Tudor exploration. Maps were very important during Tudor times because people were keen to explore the world and to establish trade routes. The children learnt how maps in Tudor times were drawn by hand and they had to use an atlas, map, or globe to help you finish the modern-day map and create their own hand-drawn masterpiece!
 

Have a great weekend,
 

Miss Connor 

Jupiter class update

W.C. 23/09/19

Wow... where did that week go? We kick-started this week in English, by finishing off our diary entries that we started last week. The children remembered to write in first person and the past tense from the spoon’s perspective and they included key events from the story. As a class we finally reached the end of the text and the children were extremely excited to learn how the text ended. We described and compared two different settings and by the end of the week we used our brilliant descriptive skills to describe the tired, miserable dish in the junk shop.
 

In maths this week we brought our topic of place value to an end, before using the skills to help us with our adding and subtraction in the next few weeks. The children used their knowledge of place value to solve problems and while year 2 used their knowledge of number bonds to solve problems, Year 3 practised rounding numbers to the nearest 10 and 100.

In science this week we continued to learn about animals including humans. Year 3 identified the three functions of the skeleton (support, movement and protection) and explored the importance of joints, while year 2 explored the ways different classifications of animals change and grow.
 

In topic we studied the work of the famous artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo who created unique paintings during the Tudor period. The children explored his paintings in detail and they were amazed by his creative, imaginative approach. During the Tudor period, Arcimboldo created a range of portrait paintings using fruit, vegetables and flowers. The children carefully designed what they wanted their artwork to look like before using pastels to create their very own. I think you’ll agree that there is some fantastic artwork!

Have a wonderful weekend,
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class update:
W.C 16.09.19
This week in English we have continued to explore the fiction text ‘The adventures of the Dish and the Spoon’. The children created their own ‘wanted’ posters, wrote questions to one of the characters to explore and understand their viewpoint and finally we worked as a class to create a diary entry using feeling words. Next week, the children will use these ideas shared as a whole group to continue the diary entry independently, including key events explored in the text.

In Maths this week the children have continued to develop their place value knowledge. They have estimated the location of a number, ordered and compared numbers and worked out 10 and/or 100 more and less than a series of given numbers. They have also explored how to represent numbers to 10, 100 and 1000 in different ways.

In Science year 3 have identified the three different types of skeleton this week: endoskeleton, exoskeleton and hydrostatic skeleton. Once they were confident with which each type, the children carefully sorted given animals into the three different groups. Year 2 continued to explore ‘animals including humans’ this week and they had to sort and classify animals with their babies. The children worked in pairs to create their posters and it was great to hear lots of discussions about the classification of each animal, using scientific vocabulary to explain why.

In Topic this week the children explored and completed the family tree for Henry Tudor. First, we discussed what a family tree is and the children enjoyed exploring mine further. Then, the class worked in pairs to complete their own for Henry Tudor. They had to look carefully at the pictures of the Kings, Queens and Henry VIII’s six wives!  It was great to see the children understanding the concept of hereditary monarchy.

Have a great weekend,
Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 09.09.19

Wow, we have had a very busy, full week back in Jupiter Class. In English the children have started to explore the non-fiction text ‘The adventures of the Dish and the Spoon’. They have predicted what they thought the text could be about, asked and answered questions using their inference skills, studied the illustrations carefully to identify hidden messages within the book and they have written their own expanded noun phrases to describe the Dish and the Spoon.

In Maths, the children have practised their place value skills this week. Year 2 have focused on two-digit numbers up to 100 and Year 3 have worked with numbers up to 1000. This week our learning has been focused on understanding the value of each digit within a number, however large it is! The children have worked hard to share their thought processes and prove their ideas are correct. Next week we will continue to develop our place value skills as we compare, order and sequence numbers.

In Science this week we started our new topic ‘Animals, including humans’ and the children stated what they already knew and what they wish to learn about the next term. It was great to see so many children sharing what they had learnt from previous years which gives us a great foundation to build on!

In Topic this week we looked at the timeline of British history to help the children understand when the Tudor period began and ended. From this we focused on the Tudors in more detail and identified key parts of the Tudor period, which the children then used to form their own timeline in their books. It was great to see hear so many children discussing when King Henry VIII ruled and I know many of them were excited that Edward VI was crowned king at just 9 years old!

We also celebrated Roald Dahl Day on Friday and in Jupiter class we focused on the hugely popular text ‘Mr Twits’. The children spent the day completing various Twit themed activities. These included descriptive writing of Mr Twit’s beard, designing and creating their own Mr Twit beard and singing Roald Dahl themed songs during assembly.

Have a great weekend,

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 02.09.19
We have had a very creative and busy three days back in Jupiter class! We started by sharing our fantastic summer holidays as a whole class and the children wrote their own recounts using the descriptive vocabulary shared. I was so impressed with how they remembered all the necessary punctuation after six weeks off and I saw (and heard) some brilliant descriptive language being used. The children also created their own abstract self-portraits in the style of Pablo Picasso and these are now displayed in the classroom on our art gallery. They enjoyed using unusual colours for their facial features, making it particularly tricky to tell which portrait belongs to who.
 

This week we also started to explore our new topic ‘The Tudors’. The children learnt that the Tudor rose is a traditional, floral emblem that represents the House of Tudor, which united the Houses of Lancaster and the Houses of York after the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. They created their own Tudor rose using different coloured tissue paper and paint. This wasn’t a quick or easy task and the children worked hard to stay super resilient!
 

Importantly, over the first three days back, we have worked hard to make sure everyone is happy in their transition. Whether it has been changing classrooms or just year groups, the children have helped one another brilliantly and everyone understands the class expectations as well as what we expect from one another.
 

Mrs Tickle and I have been very impressed with how well the children have transitioned and we look forward to the year ahead!
 

Have a great weekend!
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 15.07.19
The last full week in Jupiter Class has been super busy. To start the week off we recapped our knowledge of time by creating their own analogue clock using resources around the classroom including multilink cubes. The children practised reading the time correctly using their knowledge of the fives times tables. They created 12 groups of 5 and this was where they began to see the link between the minute hand and the number of minutes past the hour and to the hour the time is. By creating their own clock the children were able to see links explicitly and progressed from telling the time in 15 minute increments to 5 minute increments. This practical lesson certainly helped the children understand the concept of time!
 

On Monday we were lucky enough to have Mrs Fowler come into our Science lesson to discuss our bodies largest organ – our skin! We learnt about the importance of looking after our skin and how using sun cream protects us from UV rays. Alongside this, we learnt about the different layers of our skin and what they are called. We then had a go at drawing a diagram of our skin, ensuring we included the different layers - epidermis, dermis and fat! Whilst we were doing this, we took it in turns to have a look through the microscope at a skin sample. It was super interesting to look at the cells and experiment focusing the microscope on the sample.
 

This week has also been ‘Art Week’ and we celebrated by including two days of artwork into our busy schedule! The children explored the work of the famous artist Pablo Picasso and focused particularly on his cubist portraits which they then used to create their own. The children liked the fact that Picasso’s work was abstract which celebrated differences between them as individuals. As a class we discussed and understood how we were going to create own our cubist portraits first. Then the children sketched two portraits, before using oil pastels over the top to make sure their features stood out. The children followed Picasso’s ideas by using colours that gave meaning to how they felt. Once they had created their two self-portraits, they cut them up and placed them back together to create an abstract effect. The children enjoyed working in the style of Picasso by arranging the facial features in unusual ways.
 

We finished off the week by saying goodbye to the Year 6 leavers, Mrs Chapman and Mrs Bullimore! We will miss them very much but know they are all entering new, exciting chapters! Also on Friday afternoon the children had the opportunity to show off their Humanities homework to the rest of the school. I was so impressed with the hard work that the children put into their projects and it was wonderful to see such a range of topics studied!

Have a wonderful weekend; see you on Monday for the last three days of this academic year!
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Weekly Update
W.C. 08/07/19

Wow! What a super busy week we’ve had with the Key Stage 2 performances for Year 3, Music Festival for Year 2 and our usual lessons. In English the children planned and wrote their own newspaper article for Tobago Times. Following our class text ‘Gregory Cool’, the children took on the role as news reporters and wrote their own article informing the local people about how a young boy mistakenly confused dolphins as sharks! The children understood that their articles needed to be factual, yet descriptive, and the sentences needed to be relevant and appropriate for the audience. I was amazed with how the children wrote in this different style of writing! There were many brilliant headlines but particular favourites that the children came up with were ‘Dolphin causes chaos in the Caribbean’ and ‘Shark attack?’
 

In Maths the children have taken some time this week to concentrate on their written methods for multiplication and division. For multiplication the majority of the class focussed on the grid method and we spent time identifying the need to partition numbers correctly first in order to multiply effectively. The children saw the link to place value here and they knew if they hadn’t grasped that element first then this would be extremely difficult for them to do. For division, Year 3 practised their ability to group using the bus stop method (long division). They enjoyed creating their key facts box first using multiplies of the divisor to make the process easier. This method builds nicely onto chunking on the number line which Year 2 used to answer their division questions. I was particularly impressed with the presentation of the children’s work too!

In Topic this week the children explored what life is like for the Kayapo tribe. They learnt that the Kayapo people are a tribe of about 8,638 indigenous (native) peoples who live in the Amazon Rainforest. They like to call themselves Mebengokre, meaning 'the men from the water place'. The Kayapo tribe live alongside the Xingu River in several scattered villages ranging in population from one hundred to one thousand people. The children were amazed to learn about their culture and couldn’t help but compare it to their own in terms or clothing and housing. Once they had a greater understanding the children used their learning of diary entries in last week’s English lessons to write a diary entry from a Kayapo Indian. They all managed to step into role brilliantly.

Our dwarf sunflowers are growing nicely outside and the children are continuing to measure these weekly. I think the tall roots demonstrate just how much the children have learnt this term about plants as they are caring for theirs perfectly!
 

Well done Jupiter Class, have a lovely weekend.
 

Miss Connor 

Weekly update
01/07/19
This week in Jupiter Class we have worked hard to stay focused on our learning as the end of term is close in sight. In English, we continued to base our learning around the fiction text Gregory Cool as the children have enjoyed it so much. To start the week we sequenced the events in chronological order using appropriate illustrations, descriptive sentences and adventurous vocabulary. This helped us with our learning later on in the week as Year 2 used their understanding of the text to role play specific scenes to demonstrate a specific characters thoughts and feelings. Towards the end of the week, the children applied their learning about Gregory by stepping ‘in his shoes’ and writing a diary entry from his prospective. The children managed to write in first person and the past tense consistently throughout and it was clear that the previous work in the week helped them fully understand how he would be feeling as some pieces of work had real emotion.
 

In Maths this week the children have finished learning and exploring the measurement of mass. They have compared mass using comparative language and symbols, completed work on adding and subtracting mass and solved a range of problems, using different operations. Many of the children confidently converted mass between grams and kilograms and they were able to compare different amounts with mixed measures. We finished the week by solving a range of problems and this is where we recapped the RUSAC method to reiterate to children the steps for success.
 

In Science this week we have continued our learning of plants and studied how water is transported through them. The children learnt that like all living things, plants need water to survive. They were amazed to learn that nutrients in the soil are dissolved in water and used by the plant to stay healthy. As a class we set up an experiment using celery and coloured water to study if and how the tiny xylem tubes transport the water up the stem. Although the tubes were hard to see without a magnifying class, we proved our predictions rights as some of the tubes had changed colour demonstrating that the water had been absorbed correctly. We have also continued to care for our dwarf sunflowers this week by giving them frequent, gentle watering the children were thrilled with how much they have grown already!
 

In Topic this week we have continued our learning of the rainforest habitat and completed our own fact files based on an animal of our choice. In pairs the children researched key pieces of information about their chosen animals diet, weight and preferred location within the rainforest. On Friday whilst Year 3 completed transition work with Mr Nelson, Year 2 carefully sketched their chosen animal using a mirrored effect. Year 3 will complete these before the end of term. 
 

Have a good weekend,
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 24.06.19
Phew! What another busy week in Jupiter Class! This week we have been lucky to have lots of sports activities to keep us super fit and active and the weather has been perfect for it! On Tuesday morning we had our weekly swimming lesson, on Wednesday Year 3 visited Winhills for the DPLT sports event, we had sports day on Friday morning and on Friday afternoon we finished off the week with a PE session with Mr Franco who is Sports teacher for the schools within the trust.
 

Alongside our Physical Education lessons this week, we have managed to squeeze in some Maths, English, Science and Topic lessons.  In English, we have continued to base our lessons around the fiction text ‘Gregory Cool’ and this week the children had to create a character description of Gregory on the basis of what had been read. They used adventurous vocabulary to describe how he was feeling at the beginning of the story and used a range of conjunctions to justify why he was feeling this particular way. I was also impressed that some children chose to challenge themselves further by writing their character description with a clear comparison between Gregory’s feelings and his cousin Lennox.
 

In Maths, we have explored the measurement of mass and weight in grams and kilograms. The children started the week by measuring and recording mass before moving on to compare different measurements using comparative language and symbols. We will continue to work on this area of learning in our Maths lessons next week, where the children will get the opportunity to add and subjects different measurements and solve problems using what they have learnt.
 

In Topic this week the children started to explore the different animals in the Amazon rainforest in preparation for our lesson next week. As a class the children listened to key facts about the rainforest habitat and discussed what animals live there and why. They explored how the animals are adapted to their environment and at which part of the forest they live. In pairs, the children had to choose an animal that they will research further next week. This week they began to identify key facts about their chosen animal, including their average life expectancy and their preferred prey.
 

Our week was finished off perfectly with a rounders PE lesson this afternoon with Mr Franco. He was so impressed with how much the children learnt in such a short amount of time and we couldn’t believe how many children managed to hit the ball with an official rounders bat. At the end, Mr Franco commented on the children’s wonderful listening skills and positive attitudes which was fantastic so well done Jupiter Class!
 

Have a lovely weekend!
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 17.06.19
This week it has been assessment week for Year 3. They all did brilliantly and should be extremely proud of their achievements. Year 2 continued their learning in all areas with Mrs Chapman and they managed to produce some wonderful work. In English they continued to explore the fiction text ‘Gregory Cool’ with a particular focus on vocabulary. They identified words containing suffixes such as –ment, -ness, -ly, -ful at the beginning of the week and they then used their new vocabulary to describe an illustration of Gregory playing happily in the water because of his excitement. Towards the end of the week the children identified words in the text that they were unsure of and used discussions with peers and dictionaries to clarify the meaning of new vocabulary. They were extremely keen to use the vocabulary initially and now they know their meanings, I look forward to seeing them within their writing in the next couple of weeks!

In Maths Year 2 have practised their skills of adding and subtracting using formal written methods and many of us had a great attempt at the expanded column method. They were extremely enthusiastic about the method and with support they managed to present it accurately. The presentation of the column methods can be challenging and I was impressed with their perseverance. With lots of discussions about remembering to look at the digits and the values they represent the children recognised the pattern and started to become more independent by the end of the week.

In Science the children have planted their own dwarf sunflower seeds this week. We have planted them outside and made sure that the conditions were good enough to ensure they have the best chance in growing healthily. The children also wrote their own predictions about what they thought would happen to their sunflower and why. All the children were confident their seed would germinate successfully because they would ensure they give them the right amount of water and sunlight.

In Topic this week the children have been learning about the Inti Raymi Festival. The Peruvian Inti Raymi ceremony is a 9-day celebration that worships the sun and it’s the largest festival on the South American continent. In celebration of the festival the children designed and created their own sun mask which followed the Peruvian origins. The children followed their plans well and many chose to use bright colours to represent the sun.
 

Have a wonderful weekend,
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update:
W.C. 10.06.19

We’ve had another wonderful week in Jupiter Class this week. In English we have continued to explore the non-fiction text ‘Gregory Cool’, looking closely at the illustrations and discussing what it happening and how they make us feel. We studied the image of Gregory and Lennox playing in the Caribbean sea and looked at the enormous waves that surrounded them. As a class we listened to audio clips of waves crashing onto the shore and the children wrote their own expanded noun phrases to describe and specify. We came up with a range of fantastic adjectives and adverbs. Some of the class even managed to includ similes without any instruction! Towards the end of the week, the children used their expanded noun phrases to write their own poems about the waves. Whilst some children opted to use the scaffold with repeating literacy language, others were up for the challenge of writing their own free verses.

In Maths we have continued to learn about measurement of length and height. We started the week by adding different lengths together, using our understanding of measurements to convert between them first. On Tuesday we measured the sides of simple 2D shapes and Year 3 calculated the perimeter by adding all the sides together. Towards the end of week the children used their learning from the last two weeks to solve problems involving length and height. Next week Year 3 will be completing assessments for assessment week and Year 2 will be consolidating their methods for adding and subtracting correctly.

In Science this week we ordered the life cycle of a plant and discussed how it is similar and different to the other life cycles we have explored in the past. The children identified the key stages and in pairs they discussed what they thought the correct cycle was before identifying the correct cycle as a whole class. This lesson came at the ideal time in our learning sequence because when we discussed the five key stages of a plants cycle, the children already had a good amount of knowledge. It was great to see Year 2 making links between seeds falling and new seeds sprouting and Year 3 identifying what germination, pollination and seed dispersal is and where they fit in the life cycle.

In Topic this week the children have explored the different types of settlements including cities, towns and villages. They identified the different features of each settlement and made comparisons between them. As a class we managed to use geographical vocabulary to describe the features in detail and by the end of the session we were able to give valid reasons as to why we would choose to live in a particular settlement. Some children chose to compare the similarities and differences between a settlement in the United Kingdom and a settlement in South America. It was a great chance for the children to use their research skills to investigate the same type of settlements can vary drastically in different countries.

On Monday we were lucky to work in small groups with Mr Cornell who is a freelance artist and a familiar art teacher for the trust. He will be working with us for the next two Mondays, creating a project for display following our Topic of South America.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Miss Connor 

Jupiter Class Update:
W.C. 03/06/19
We have had a great four days back after the week off last week. In English, we have started reading our new fiction text ‘Gregory Cool’ and the children predicted what they thought the text might be about. As the story is about a young boy from America who visits his grandparents in Tobago, it gives the children the opportunity to explore a different culture and compare it to their own. As a class we discussed our opinions on the text so far and made links to other books we had read. Towards the end of the week, the children researched Trinidad and Tobago where Gregory visited his grandparents to find out a little bit more about the beautiful twin-island. They then used their research to write a description of the setting using facts, as well as descriptive language.
 

In Maths this week we have explored measurement of length and height. The children first recapped what they had learnt previously to build on their prior knowledge.  Whilst Year 2 focused mainly on measuring and recording length in cm, and m, Year 3 focused on cm, m and mm. We then used our understanding of measurement to convert between the measures and compare lengths using comparative language and symbols. The children especially liked when we went outside on Thursday to measure different objects in different measures.

In Science this week we have had a lot of fun! We continued our learning of plants by finding out all about the parts of a flower and how they contribute to pollination. We started the lesson by exploring the different parts and what a better way to do this then dissecting a flower ourselves! This was a great way to learn about all the different parts and the children were extremely enthusiastic. Once we were sure we knew the parts of the flower, we had to think about their jobs in ensuring pollination happens. The children were amazed to learn that it actually happens accidentally and we carried out an experiment using cheese balls to demonstrate! The children loved acting as bees. They each ate a cheese ball and then they weren’t allowed to lick their fingers. Using the orange colouring left on their fingers, they had to fly over to an image of a lily and rub it. Once all the children had finished, it showed a bright orange stain demonstrating just how pollen is carried by insects!

In Topic this week the children have explored the climate in South American rainforest. First, they used their research skills to find information on the laptops and in books.  Once they were happy with their information they found, they wrote it in their own words and into the style of a weather report. In pairs the children carefully prepared their report so that it was presented similarly to the ones on the television every day. They enjoyed finishing the week off listening to everyone’s weather reports and luckily everyone agreed that rainforests generally have a hot, humid tropical climate with rainfall expected most days!

Have a great weekend
 

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class update:

W.C. 20/05/19

A great end to a busy first half of our Summer Term in Jupiter Class. In English this week, we finished the fiction text ‘The Great Kapok Tree’. As a class we spoke about the ending and recognised what happened after the man left the rainforest could be interpreted in many ways. With this in mind, the children then worked in pairs to map out their ideas for a possible sequel. This gave them all an opportunity to carefully create a beginning, build up, climax, resolution and ending to their narratives instead of finishing them too soon. Towards the end of the week, the children used their written plans to write their sequels and I was very impressed with the realistic ideas, sentence starters and powerful adjectives.

In Maths Year 2 and Year 3 have been practising their problem solving skills involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and divisions. They had to use the RUCSAC method to ensure they answered the questions correctly, particularly remembering to check their final answer. This was also a good chance for children to practise their written methods within word problems. Whilst Year 3 worked on their formal column methods, Year 2 used a written number line to prove their answers were correct.

In Science this week the children have continued their learning of plants. On Thursday they gathered the results from their comparative experiment to identify what plants actually need in order to grow to their full potential. The children measured the height of the cress from the 4 different locations and then they recorded their results by writing descriptive sentences and creating a bar graph. They were amazed that the cress grew despite some of them having no access to sunlight or water and this gave us the perfect opportunity to discuss the role of carbon dioxide.

In Topic this week Jupiter Class have finished their colourful and vibrate artwork in the style of the famous artist Henri Rousseau. Once they had painted their large, varied leaves using different tones of green paint, they then used pencils and pastels to add finer details and depth. At the end of the lesson everyone had created their own piece of artwork and a mixed media masterpiece!

We finished our busy week by taking our learning outside with Mrs Tickle. We thoroughly enjoyed studying the outdoor environment and investigating life outside the classroom. We even found one of the baby newts from previous months!

Have a great half-term holiday,

Miss Connor

Jupiter class update:
W.C. 13.05.19
Another great week in Jupiter Class this week. Despite Year 2 completing some of their KS1 assessments this week, we have made sure it hasn’t made any disruption to our foundation subjects in the afternoon and we also managed to have a few days with our normal English and Maths lessons as a full class. 

In English we continued to explore ‘The great Kapok tree’. This week we have written our own arguments discussing whether the man should cut down the tree using both sides of the argument. Also, we have stepped into role as the young man in the rainforest with the tricky dilemma and wrote a letter and diary entry. The children all managed to write consistently in the past tense using first person and I certainly believed that it was the character writing, as opposed to them!

In Maths, Year 2 and Year 3 have been recapping their fractions skills this week. They have identified fractions of shapes, objects and quantities and Year 3 even managed to identify equivalent fractions. I was very impressed when both Year 2 and Year 3 found non-unit fractions such as 2/5 or 2/3 of a given quantity by using their division and multiplication skills. 

In Science, Year 2 and Year 3 have continued their learning of plants. On Thursday we carried out our own comparative experiment to identify what plants actually need in order to grow to their full potential. The children planted cress seeds into 4 different locations and each pot will be given different amounts of sunlight and water to create a comparison of results. The children will use this experiment to investigate the accuracy of their own theories and predictions so by the end of the topic they fully understand what plants need to grow. 

In Topic, Jupiter Class have studied the work of the artist ‘Henri Rousiusa’ this week. We spent some time exploring his colourful and vibrate artwork and looked closely at his techniques to help us. Once we felt confident with how to replicate his ideas and methods, we began sketching and painting our own rainforest filled with huge leaves. The children first created a golden sunset backwash, before painting different size leaves with a mixture of green tones to give a nice variation of colour and depth to their artwork. 

Wow, what a fabulous week! Have a good weekend.

Miss Connor

W.C. 06.05.19

Despite losing a day to the bank holiday, Jupiter Class have been just as busy! In English, we have continued to explore the fiction text ‘The great kapok tree’ and the children have enjoyed answering questions based on what has been observed and read. They have made plausible predictions about what they think might happen and have also identified character’s thoughts and feeling through appropriate inferences. This week we have also used the book to discuss and debate about deforestation. The children identified the different prospectives first before taking on the role of one of the animals to write a persuasive letter to the man asking him to stop cutting to tree down.
 

In Maths, Year 2 and Year 3 started the week by using their understanding of the times tables to answer mathematical statements. Whilst Year 2 focused on the 2, 5 and 10 times tables, Year 3 worked on their 3, 4 and 8 times tables. Towards the end of the week both year groups have been focusing on slightly different subject areas. Year 3 used their understanding of multiplication to complete division questions using the bus stop method. They laid the numbers out carefully to ensure each digits place value was correct and they created their ‘key facts box’. This certainly helped work out when a 3-digit number was divided by a 1-digit number. Year 2 finished the week by developing their number bonds and place value understanding. We have worked hard to improve our rapid recall as knowing the number bonds really help strengthen other mathematical concepts. It was great to see children recognising the links between number bonds and using known facts to support further learning.
 

In Science, Year 2 and Year 3 have continued to learn about plants and this week we have studied how seeds and bulbs mature into plants in preparation for our investigation next week. The children identified key facts about seeds and bulbs and they identified the different parts whilst also explaining their functions. Year 3 explored the concept further by identifying what germination is and how it is important when seeds and bulbs mature.
 

In Topic, we have managed to link our English learning by discussing in further detail what deforestation is and why it happens. As the children learnt that deforestation is permanent destruction of forests, they were extremely inquisitive as to why this happens. We discussed the reasons why it occurs and recognised many ideas for example poor farmers needing land to grow their crops. We also referred to the English text to recognise how wildlife might feel when this is happening to their home.
 

Have a great weekend

Miss Connor

Jupiter Class Update
W.C. 29.04.19
We had an extremely busy start to the week this week with our visit to the Priory Centre for our Modern Foreign Languages poetry event on Monday morning and our first swimming lesson of the term on Tuesday morning. Whilst we started the week with wonderful learning outside the classroom environment, the rest of the week has consisted of lots of brilliant classroom learning. In English we have continued to explore the fiction text ‘The great kapok tree’. The children have used their prior knowledge of the setting to ask and answer questions and make predictions based on what has been read.  Towards the end of the week the children have used their knowledge of the rainforest to write their own poems. They used recurring literacy language along with their own ideas to describe exactly what they would see when exploring the beautiful Amazon rainforest. To end our literacy learning this week the children presented their poems to an audience to showcase their wonderful poems which were rich in adventurous vocabulary.
 

In Maths this week Year 2 and Year 3 have developed their knowledge of reading and recording time as well as comparing time in terms of seconds, minutes and hours. The children used their understanding of turns to read when the clock was showing quarter to, quarter past or half past the hour. Whilst some children developed their understanding of reading and recording the time in 15 minute increments, many managed to use their knowledge of the 5 times table to read and record the time in 5 minute increments. I was amazed to see some children even managing the extra challenge of reading and recording the time in 1 minute increments! We also discussed when we read the time as past the hour and to the next hour. It was be great if this learning could continue at home by asking the children to tell you the time at different points in the day.
 

In Science this week the children have learnt about the parts of flowering plants. First they recapped the different parts before they developed their understanding further by explaining the function of each part. The children thoroughly enjoyed learning how the stem carries water and nutrients to the leaves and that the leaves make food for the plant using sunlight and carbon dioxide from the air.
 

For our Topic lesson this week the children worked in pairs to research a South American. As the homework task for the holidays was to research our new topic, many children came into the lesson with lots of wonderful facts already! The children had to use research from the internet and in books to create a fact file about their chosen South American country. They were intrigued to learn the meaning of new vocabulary such as currency and at the end of the week the children had the opportunity to present their findings, resulting in everyone learning something new about a South American country.
 

Have a lovely, long weekend and I will see you all on Tuesday
 

Miss Connor

Week commencing 23/04/19
Jupiter Class update:
We’ve had a wonderful first fours day back after the Easter break. We have jumped straight back into our learning and have spent time discussing changes for this new term. In English we have started to read ‘The great kapok tree’, which is a tale about the Amazon rainforest and the impact of deforestation. This links in nicely to our topic of ‘South America’ as the rainforest is located within nine of the continents countries. Before the text and setting were revealed, the children listened to audio clips of the rainforest to visualise what they could hear through drawings. Then they wrote predictions about what they thought it might be like in the rainforest, thinking carefully about its climate as it is close to the equator. To end the week the children explored adventurous vocabulary used to describe the non- fiction setting and used them to create a setting description. The children managed to include fantastic, descriptive sentences about the rainforest’s climate, canopy, waterfalls and wildlife.
 

In Maths both Year 2 and Year 3 started the week learning about position, direction and movement. We explored the link between turns and angles and used the correct vocabulary to navigate our partners over taped lines in the hall (Year 2) or from our own series of instructions (Year 3). Year 2 also completed work on 2D and 3D shapes this week and understanding how right angles and lines of symmetries are properties of shapes too. Year 3 continued their learning of angles and thoroughly enjoyed learning about obtuse, acute and right angles through practical investigations.

In Science this week we introduced our new focus of ‘Plants’ for both Year 2 and Year 3. As a class we shared what we know already about them and I was extremely impressed with how much the children had remembered from previous years! They then wrote down individual things that they wanted to know and learn about by the end of the summer term.

In Topic this week we have introduced our topic ‘South America’ and similar to Science, the children shared what they know already and what they would like to learn. The children knew so much about the topic and this really is because of the brilliant research homework that was completed over the holidays. I was blown away by the effort that a lot of children have put into their home learning and it certainly has had such a positive impact already! We have also managed to make a great display from the wonderful, creative ideas so a massive thank you to the children for their hard work but also a big thank you to parents/carers for facilitating their learning!
 

Have a lovely weekend,
Miss Connor